Mine car latch operator and safety lock



May 7, 1946.

E. R. SCHROEDER MINE CAR LAT 6H OPERATOR AND SAFETY LUCK Filed Feb. 27, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR fmes? liscizmeder' BY M zm ATTORNEY liq y 1945- E. R. SCHROEDER I 2,400,026

MINE CAR LATCH OPERATOR AND SAFETY LOCK Filed Feb. 27, 1943 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY l l I I 1 I l i H l i: 4 R I II i 6 l l HR I L l /0 l flay-"1 "I tr-r'l E' z 4542 W 43 Emeg Schroeder E. R. SCHROEDER 2,400,026

MiNE CAR LATCH OPERATOR AND SAFETY LOCK Filed Feb. 27, 194:5 4 sheets-sheet s INVENTOR ATTORNEY h I I I I I l I I l l l I I I Ernggi fiscbmeder' May ,7; 1946.

May' 7, 1946. E. R. SCHROEDER f MINE CAR LATCH OPERATOR AND SAFETY LOCK Filed Feb. 27, 1945 4 Shets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR BY ESclzraeder a. a ATTORNEY :L IIIIII |t| zfllrlx|lullll1llE|| REP llH It & -Qwil v -E EHF Patented May 7, 1946 lVIINE CAR LATCH OPERATOR AND SAFETY LOCK Ernest R. Schroeder, Hawthorne, N. J., assignor to American Car and Foundry Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 2'7, 1943, Serial No. 477,468

13 Claims. (Cl. 105286) This invention relates to mine cars in general and in particular to mine cars of the drop bottom type having doors, at least one of which is normally held in raised position by a mechanism which can be tripped by trackside equipment,

Mine cars of the drop bottom type have for years been built with a door controlling latch operating to hold one of the doors closed and which latch was operated by trackside equipment. The operating arm of the latch projected beyond what would normally be the clearance limits of the car and in such a position as to contact and be lifted by a trackside ramp. It is obvious that any latch which can be lifted by a ramp may also be lifted by obstructions such as large lumps of coal, stone or fallen timbers lying along side the tracks. If a latch becomes accidentally operated in the mines it may tie up the entire mine until the car has been unloaded and the doors closed. It is highly important, therefore, that accidental unlatching of the doors be prevented and it is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a latch and operator which normally do not project beyond the clearance limits of the car and are normally in a position to lock the latch against operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a latch for the doors of drop bottom cars, which latch is operated by a horizontal thrust instead of vertical as in the past.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a latch for the doors of drop bottom mine cars, which latch is operated by a twopart operator, one of which may be moved to a position locking the latch against accidental movement, while at the same time practically eliminating the possibility of operation of the latch.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a study of, the following description and accompanying drawings, in which 7 Figure 1 is a partial end view of amine car having the improved latch arrangement applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the latch end of the car;

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial end view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the latch in a door-releasing position;

Fig. 5 is an end view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a slight modification;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the form shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detail of the operator and lock with 'the parts shown in position for release of the latch;

Fig. 8 is a partial end view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the latch in door-released position;

Fig. 9 is a partial end View similar to Figs. 1 and 5 but showing a still further modification;

Fig. 10 is a side view of the latch end of the car shown in Fig. 9, and

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the modification shown in Fig. 9.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that in all modifications the car structure is similar, that is, the car is supported on wheels W by axles (not shown) but which pass through angular formed side sills 2, to which are attached the sloping sides or gunwales 4 terminating in a vertically directed top portion 6. In order to stiffen the gunwales or sloping sides, gussets 8 are provided at suitable positions along the car side. The side walls are joined together at each end by end walls I!) and these walls are braced against bulging by end posts l2 attached to the end walls and to the end sill structure M. The bottom of the car is closed by means of a plurality of doors, only one of which, [6, is shown. This door is hinged to swing about a horizontally extending axis and is provided adjacent its free edge with a tongue H3. The tongue is adapted 30 to, be engaged by the latch or hook 20 pivotally carried by a pin 2| extending through a bracket structure 22 fastened in any suitable manner upon theend wall of the car. The hook or latch is provided intermediate its ends with an elongated slot 24 through which passesa pin 26. This pin also passes through the side walls of a cross arm or push bar 28 which is of box formation and formed by welding the legs of angles 29 and 30 together. This box form of the arm or push bar is most clearly shown in Figs, 6 and 10. Parts of the top and bottom legs of the angles are cut away as at 32 to permit passage of the hook 20 and permit its free movement relative to the arm or push bar. The cross arm or i push bar, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 5, and 9,

extends through and is guided by one of the end posts l2 with added bearing area being provided by blocks 33, while the inner end is located adjacent the other end post and urged away from such post by a spring 34. This spring is located within the box section arm and has one end bearing against the post and held in position by lug 35, while the other end bears against a plate 36 welded or otherwise secured within the box section arm.

Referring now in particular to the modification shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, it will be seen that the cross arm or push bar 28 extends but a short distance through the one end post and has welded or otherwise secured thereto an extension bar 38 guided by a bracket 39 fastened to the end wall of the car. This extension 38, as clearly shown, extends but a very slight distance past the outer plane of the gussets 8. It will be seen that this projection is so slight as to prevent operation of the hook by any normal obstruction along the track and in order to move the push rod and thus cause an unlatching of the hook, an operator 40 is provided pivoted on a pin 4| carried by the end wall of the car and a housing bracket 42. This outer operator part 40 is formed with a rounded head 43 and a cup-like socket 44 adapted to engage the free end of extension 38 so as to absorb the thrust to which the operator is subjected and thereby relieve the pin M of strain. In order to lock the push bar or cross arm against any movement, a lock member 45 is provided and this member is pivotally mounted on a pin 46 supported by the end wall and by a plate 41 fastened on the end post I 2. As clearly shown, the inner end of the lock member is bent downwardly as at 48 and extends through a slot in the box-like cross arm or push bar and into such a position as to engage the inner end of the extension 38. The swinging movements of the lock member are controlled and guided by a strap 50 secured to the end wall of the car, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Under normal operation the hook or latch and its connected cross arm or push bar will bein the full line position shown in Fig. 1 and with the operator 4!] swung upwardly to the line and dash position in which the ball head 43 is underneath the lock member 45 holding it in the line and dash position, with its inner end 48 tightly engaging the inner end of the extension 38, thus the lock member 45, together with the upwardly and inwardly swung operator, will pre vent any unlatching movement of the push bar even if the push bar is contacted by a trackside obstruction. When it is desired to have the doors tripped the operator 4!! is swung down to the full line position of Figure 1, that is, beyond the normal clearance limits of the car. In this position the ball end 43 may contact the tripping ramp R, which is of angular formation with a gradually tapered approach side S and a sharply tapered exit side E, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. As the car moves past the ramp member R the operator 40 is pushed inwardly, swinging about its pin 4| and pushing the extension 38 and push bar 28 inwardly, thereby compressing the spring 34 and swinging the hook 20 to the full line position of Fig. 4. In this position the door tongue [8 is released and the door I6 may drop. As soon as the car has passed beyond the ramp R, the spring 34 will snap the hook or latch 29 back into its normal position, from which position it may be moved by the cooperating inclined surfaces of the tongue and hook when the door is moved into the closed position by any suitable door closing means. In this form it will be seen that the hook is controlled by a two-part operator formed of the push bar 28 and the swinging operator part 40, the locking of the push .bar being accomplished by a separate locking member 45 which, however, cooperates with both parts of the operator to accomplish the looking, as clearly shown in the line and dash positions of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the modification shown by Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive, it will be seen that a slight ly different form. of operator and lock has been provided. In this form the push bar 28 has its box form continued clear to the side of the car where it is guided and housed by a bracket and housing structure 60 secured to the side and end wall of the car. Excessive movement of the push bar by the compression spring 34 is prevented by means of a stop 62 dropped through the push bar and adapted to contact the inner side of one of the end posts I 2. As clearly shown in Figs. 5 and '7, the extended end of the push bar projects but slightly beyond the housing in which it is guided and could not, except under abnormal conditions, be moved sufficiently to release the hook from the door tongue [8. In order to move the push bar an operator part 65 is provided pivoted on a pin 66 carried by the housing structure 60 and by the car end wall. This swinging operating part is formed adjacent the pin 66 with a lock-holding finger 68 and a lock-releasing finger 10. Its swinging end has a ball head H and a projection 12 adapted to engage within the box like push bar 28, thus relieving the pin 66 of thrust when the head contacts the tripping ramp R, which is of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The head part is also either roughened or formed with a projection 13 by means of which a person may readily take hold of the swinging operator and move it between operative and inoperative positions. In order to positively lock the push bar 28 against inward movement, a pair of upstanding plates 14 are welded or otherwise secured to the push bar and through these plates is extended a pin 15 swingably mounting a lock member 16. This lock member extends outwardly into the housing structure 60 and has a notched lower portion 18 adapted to engage a pin extending between the housing structure 68 and the car end wall. When the parts are in the normal position shown in Fig. 5 the lock member 16 is held in engagement with pin 80 by the lock retaining finger 63 of the swinging operating part 65. When, however, it is desired to trip the door IS, the operator part is swung down to the full line position of Fig. 7 and in this position the lock releasing finger 10 has lifted the lock member 16 out of direct engagement with the locking pin 80. When the car moves through the ramp the swinging operator moves inwardly forcing the push bar 28 inwardly against spring 34 and moving the hook to the position shown in Fig. 8, in which position the drop bottom door is released. During the inward swinging of the operator part 65 by the ramp R the finger 10 will have lifted the lock member 16 so that it can unquestionably clear the pin 80 as the push bar to which the lock part 16 is coupled moves inwardly. Thus again it will be seen that the latch is moved by a twopart operator formed by the push bar 28 and the swinging operator 65, which mutually engage the lock member 16 to prevent movement of the push bar inwardly to latch-releasing position. In this case the pin 80 corresponds to the pin 46 in Fig. l in that it is the anchor point for the lock member with respect to the car body.

Referring now to the modification shown in Figs. 9 to 11 inclusive, it will be seen that the push bar is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 5 and the same stop 62 has been used. In this form the outer end of the push bar is guided and supported by a bracket and housing structure 85 fastened to the car side and end wall. Secured to the ends of the push bar 28 are spaced plates 86 through which extend a pin 81 and upon which is swingably mounted an operatin part88. This swinging operating part is formed with a hooked end 90 having a projection 92 adapted to engage within the box section push bar 28 to relieve the pin 81 of thrust as the car moves through the tripping ramp R. The hooked end is also formed with a projecting shoe part 94 which directly contacts the ramp R. The swinging operator is also formed with a fiat surfaced projection 96 adapted to contact a stop 98 fixed on the car end wall. Normally, the door will be in the closed and locked position as shown in Fig. 9 and the swinging operator will be in the line and dash position in which projection 96 will contact stop 98 and prevent any possible inward movement of the push bar. When it is desired to dump the car the swinging operator is moved from the line and dash position of Fig. 9 to the full line position, in which position its rubbing shoe 94 can contact the tripping ramp R. Upon contact with the ramp, the swinging operator and the push bar will move inwardly as a unit to release the book from the door tongue l8. Thus in this form it will be seen that the swinging operator is carried by the push bar and forms the second operator part as well as the lock member, since through projection 96 it may contact stop 98 when in the normal or line and dash position.

In all forms it will be seen that the swinging operator, when in normal position, that is, in the inwardly and upwardly swung position or safety locking position, is located wholly within the clearance limits of the car indicated by the line and double dash position 0. When, however, it is desired to dump the doors the swinging operator is swung outwardly and downwardly into a position projecting beyond the clearance limits of the car so as to contact the trippin ramp B. When in the normal or safety-locked position it will be seen that thepush bar is locked at least in part by the swinging operator and, furthermore, the inward movement of the push bar could hardly be accomplished by a trackside obstruction since it is normally within the clearance limits of the car, at least it is so nearly within the clearance limits that insufiicient movement of the push bar could occur to release the hook from the tongue l8. That is, the gussets or other rigid parts of the car would scrape any coal, timber or other obstructions away so that they could not contact the push bar and even if they did contact the push bar, the hook could not be moved to a released position due to the housing and guiding structure at the end of the push bar. In other words, it is absolutely necessary that the swinging operating part or a similar device be utilized before the push bar can be moved to released position. The clearance diagram, as indicated at C by line and double dash in Figs. 1, and 9, is arrived at by carefullymeasurin'g and plotting the position of the numerous trackside obstructions, such as switches, hold-down devices, fixed haulage equipment, timbers, etc., exactly as is done in standard railroad work. In standard railway work, however, at least three inches is normally allowed for safety purposes between any fixed ob-' struction and any part of the car. In mine work, however, it is possible to reduce this safety distance since the cars are not spring mounted and are not mounted on swivel trucks and are not subject to excessive swaying. Therefore, the normal, safety distance is an inch or less and accordingly the car is shown as having its parts, when in normal position, located approximately one inch within the clearance limits which are hired by the permanent way structures.

While the invention has been described more or less in detail with particular reference to certain modifications, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of parts other than those shown and described may be made without departing from the invention as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with a car body structure including a hinged door and a latch tongue on the door, a latch hook pivotally carried by the car structure in position to engage said latch tongue, a latch operator first part movable transversely of the car body and pivotally connected to said latch hook between the pivotal mount thereof and the latch tongue to control the piv- 'otal movements of the latch hook, and a latch operator second part carried by the latch operator first part and movable from a position outside the normal body clearance limits in which it permits movement of said latch operator first part to a position wholly within the normal body clearance limits and in which it looks the latch operator first part against movement.

2. The combination with a car body structure including a hinged door and a latch tongue on the door, a latch hook pivotally carried by the car structure in position to engage said latch tongue, a latch operator first part movable transversely of the car body and connected to said latch hook to control the pivotal movements thereof, and a latch operator second part carrier, by the latch operator first part and movable from a position forming an extension of the first part to a position in engagement with a car part blocking movement of the first part and second parts, said latch operator second part being lo cated at all times adjacent one side only of the car.

3. The combination with a car body structure including a hinged door and a latch tongue on the door, a latch hook pivotally carried by the car structure in position to engage said latch tongue, a latch operator first part movable transversely of the car body and connected to said latch hook to control the pivotal movements thereof, a lock member pivotally connected to the car body and movable to a locked position blocking movement of said latch operator first part, and a latch operator second part pivotally carried by the car body and normally engaging said lock member to hold the same in locked position, said latch operator-second part being movable from the normal position to a position en-- gaging the end of said latch operator first part.

4. The combination with a car body structure including a hinged door and a latch tongue on the door, a latch hook pivotally carried by the car structure in position to engage said latch tongue, a latch operator first part movable trans versely of the car body and connected to said latch hook to control the pivotal movements thereof, a lock member pivotally connected to the latch operator first partand adapted to engage a pOl'- tion of the car to lock said first part against movement, and a latch operator second part pi otally carried by the car body and engageable with said lock member to hold the same engagement with said portion of the car, said latch operator second part being movable to a position simultaneously engaging the end of said latch operator first part and releasing said lock member from engagement with said portion of the car whereby said latch operator first part may be moved to release said latch hook from engagement with said latch tongue.

5. The combination with a car body structure including a hinged door and a latch tongue on the door, a latch hook pivotally carried by the car structure in position to engage said latch tongue, a latch operator first part movable transversely of the car body and connected to said latch hook to control the pivotal movements thereof, a lock member engaging said latch operator first part and normally blocking movement thereof, and a latch operator second part normally holding said lock member in engagement with the latch operator first part, said latch operator second part being movable to a position simultaneously releasing said lock member and forming an extension of said latch operator first part projecting beyond the normal clearance limits of the car.

6. The combination with a car body structure including a hinged door and a latch tongue on the door, a latch hook pivotally carried by the car structure in position to engage said latch tongue, a latch operator first part movable transversely of the car body and connected to said latch hook to control the pivotal movements thereof, a lock member pivotally connected to the latch operator first part and engageable when in locked position with a portion of the car to lock said first part against movement, a latch operator second part pivotally mounted on the car and swingable between a first and a second position, means on said latch operator second part to hold said lock member in locked position when said latch operator second part is in its first position, and additional means on said latch operator second part to hold said lock member in a released position when said latch operator second part is in the second position- 7. The combination with a car body structure including a hinged door and a latch tongue on the door, a latch hook pivotally carried by the car structure in position to engage said latch tongue, a latch operator first part movable transversely of the car body and connected to said latch hook to control the pivotal movements thereof, a lock member pivotally connected to the latch operator first part and engageable when in locked position with a portion of the car to lock said first part against movement, a latch operator second part pivotally mounted on the car and swingable between a first and a second position, means on said latch operator second part to hold said lock member in locked position when said latch operator second part is in its first position, and additional mean on said latch operator second part to hold said lock member in a released position when said latch operator second part is in the second position, said latch operator second part when in the second position forming an extension of the latch operator first part projecting beyond the normal clearance limits of the car.

8. The combination with a car body structure including a hinged door and a latch tongue on the door, a latch hook pivotally carried by the car structure in a position to engage said latch tongue, a push bar extending transversely of the car and slidable relative thereto and being engageable with said latch hook to control the pivotal movements thereof, said push bar extending toward one side of the car but terminating within the normal clearance limits of the car, and an operator for said push bar pivotally carried by the car and swingable from a first position wholly within the clearance limits of the car to a second position in which it forms an extension of said push bar projecting outwardly beyond the normal clearance limits of the car.

9. The combination with a car bodystructure including a hinged door and a latch tongue on the door, a latch hook pivotally carried by the car structure in a position to engage said latch tongue, a push bar extending transversely of the car and slidable relative thereto and being engageable with said latch hook to control the pivotal movements thereof, said push bar extending toward one side of the car but terminating within the normal clearance limits of the car, and an operator for said push bar pivotally carried by the car and swingable from a first position wholly within the clearance limits of the car to a second position in which it forms an extension of said push bar projecting outwardly beyond the normal clearance limits of the car, said operator when in first position forming at least part of a lock preventing transverse movement of said push bar.

10. The combination with a car body structure including a hinged door and a latch tongue on the door, a latch hook pivotally carried by the car structure in a position to engage said latch tongue, a push bar extending transversely of the car and slidable relative thereto and being engageable with said latch hook to control the pivotal movements thereof, said push bar extending toward one side of the car but terminating within the normal clearance limits of the car, and an operator for said push bar pivotally carried by the car and swingable from a first position wholly Within the clearance limits of the car to a second position in which it forms an extension of said push bar projecting outwardly beyond the normal clearance limits of the car, said operator being pivoted directly to said push bar and when in first position being in direct engagement with a car part to block inward transverse movement of said push bar.

11. The combination with a car body structure including a hinged door and a latch tongue on the door, a latch hook pivotally carried by the car structure in a position to engage said latch tongue, a push bar extending transversely of the car and slidable relative thereto and being engageable with said latch hook to control the pivotal movements thereof, said push bar extending toward one side of the car but terminating within the normal clearance limits of the car, an operator for said push bar pivotally carried by the car and swingable from a first position wholly within the clearance limits of the car to a second position in which it forms an extension of said push bar projecting outwardly beyond the normal clearance limits of the car, and a lock member pivotally carried by the car and cooperable with said operator when in first position to lock the push bar against sliding movements.

'12. The combination with a car body structure including a hinged door and a latch tongue on the door, a latch hook pivotally carried by the car structure in a position to engage said latch tongue, means connected to said latch hook to control the movements thereof, a housing carried by the car body structure adjacent a side thereof for protecting and guiding the end of said means remote from said latch hook, and additional means movable within the housing between a first and a second position and so formed and arranged as to provide an extension for said first named means projecting beyond the housing when in the second position and to provide at least part of a look for said first named means when in the first position.

13. The combination with a car body structure including a hinged door and a latch tongue on the door, a latch hook pivotally carried by the car structure in a position to engage said latch tongue, means connected to said latch hook to control the movements thereof, a housing carried by the car body structure adjacent a side thereof for protecting and guiding the end of said means remote from said latch hook, and additional means movable within the "housing between a first and a second position and so formed and arranged as to provide an extension for said first named means projecting beyond the housing when in the second position and to provide at least part or a lock for said first named means when in the first position, said additional means being located wholly within the clearance limits of the car when in the first position.

ERNEST R. SCHROEDER. 

